By Amir Cohen
GAZA-ISRAEL BORDER (Reuters) – Israeli forces battling Hamas stated they’d uncovered an unusually giant concrete and iron-girded tunnel, designed to hold carloads of militant fighters from Gaza proper as much as the border.
Razing or disabling a whole lot of kilometres of underground passages and bunkers is among the many goals of the offensive Israel launched after Hamas gunmen went on a killing and kidnapping spree in its southern cities and military bases on Oct. 7.
Amongst websites that Hamas overran in that assault was the Erez border crossing between Gaza and Israel. Simply 100 metres (yards) south of the checkpoint, hid in a sand dune, the navy confirmed reporters the exit level of what it stated was a flagship Hamas challenge.
The tunnel ran down diagonally to a depth of fifty metres, the place it expanded to a comparatively capacious 3 metres (10 toes) in top and width, with electrical fittings.
Chief navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari put the total size of the tunnel at 4 km (2.5 miles) – sufficient to succeed in into northern Gaza Metropolis, as soon as the center of Hamas governance and now a devastated fight zone.
It was “the most important tunnel we present in Gaza … meant to focus on the (Erez) crossing,” Hagari stated, with out specifying whether or not it was utilized by Hamas for the Oct. 7 assault.
“Hundreds of thousands of {dollars} have been invested on this tunnel. It took years to construct this tunnel … Automobiles might drive by means of.”
Hamas didn’t reply to a Reuters request for touch upon the Israeli account.
Typically the tunnels proven to the media by the group, or by the Israeli navy after their discovery, have been slender and low – designed for single-file motion of gunmen on foot. The tunnel proven by Hagari had shafts plunging vertically downward that, he stated, recommended it was a part of a wider community.
The tunnels have been a problem for Israel’s engineers, frightened that the networks might conceal hostages held by Hamas. That has slowed an offensive whose steep Palestinian civilian toll has alarmed world powers.
Hagari confirmed reporters a video of Mohammed Sinwar, brother of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar and himself a senior operative within the group, sitting within the passenger seat of a automobile that he stated was driving contained in the tunnel.
On Oct. 29, Israel’s Ynet information website reported that troops killed a number of gunmen who attacked Erez after accessing the world from a tunnel. Hagari’s workplace didn’t reply to a question on whether or not that referred to the tunnel he confirmed.
(Writing by Dan Williams; Enhancing by Andrew Heavens)
Immediately Information Prime Newsmaac
